16 November 2011

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.

Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

I declare Maggie Stiefvater to be a master of mythology. Not that I know the first thing about horses that are pulled from the sea and raced on land. Merely that Maggie Stiefvater took a piece of mythology, made it entirely her own, and presented it in a dark, twisted, real way that I have never seen another author do before. Her writing was cunning, her characters strong and alive, her atmosphere rich and enticing.

There was a lot of passion in this story. It came through in the characters with their own battles and personal triumphs, and in the writing. I'd read a blog post on Maggie Stiefvater's site where she talked about how this book was the one she's always wanted to write. It was an inspiring post, and this was a very inspiring story. I loved every page.

The romance was fantastic. It was just as powerful, if more elusive, than the couple we all know and love—Sam and Grace. Sean Kendrick had that streak of reality to him that made him instantly likeable. Puck Connolly was fiery but very much human with her internal struggles and external battles. They were fantastic characters. I want to reread their story. I want more of their story. Even though I almost cried at the end—a rarity within itself.

The atmosphere was palpable. Talk about disappearing into a story. Small, seemingly meaningless details put breath and life into Thisby. I hate the beach, but the detail here was so vivid and enticing, I wanted to be down on the sand in the chaos leading up to the races.

The writing was just as beautiful as ever.The passion was there—passion that most authors strive for but bury under the pressure of blending into the mainstream YA paranormal romance. Maggie Stiefvater's work stands out, stands in its own category. The minute this book comes out in paperback, I'm getting it. Maggie Stiefvater is a writer I want to mimic. She writes flawlessly. She draws you in, almost tricks you into getting to know the characters. It's natural.

I can't wait to see what she does next.Oh, did you know that The Scorpio Raceshas been optioned by Warner Bros.? No? Oh, well, now you know. You're welcome.

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About

Amelia RobinsonLexington, KY

I am a lover of a great many things: hero's stories, quotes, purple things, nail polish properly applied, British shows, exquisitely simple templates, eos lip balms in a clear jar, warm beds in winter, 50 chaotic pages of a draft, unknowable characters, Christmas songs in June, a bit of philosophy, a dash of psychology, the piano on a rainy day, a good daydream.

I am a 21-year-old college student and an aspiring writer. I would love to be your friend. Especially if you like a good story. Read more..